Private hip MRI in London: cost, referral, how soon (2026)

• Price is per single body area. Contrast, if needed, is £125 extra.

Each figure is the centre's own published price, checked 5 October 2026; the quote a centre gives you for London is what counts. Listed does not mean partner. See Sources.

Where can I get a private hip MRI in London?

London has more private MRI capacity than anywhere else in England, and more variety. There are dedicated scanning centres spread across the boroughs, hospital groups with several sites, specialist orthopaedic and sports clinics, and private patient units inside some NHS hospitals. Central London's private hospitals cluster around Marylebone and the Harley Street area, where prices are usually highest. Outer boroughs often have cheaper dedicated centres with easier parking.

Spire Healthcare's own hospital list includes Spire London East Hospital, Spire Kings Cross Clinic and Spire Wimbledon Clinic, and Circle Health Group lists The Blackheath Hospital and The Clementine Churchill Hospital in Harrow. Spire and Circle did not publish a London MRI price we could verify for those sites on 5 October 2026, so they are not in the table. Fortius Clinic publishes guide prices for its central London sites and Wimbledon; they are in the table, and exclude consultant fees.

Vista Health's own location list, checked 5 October 2026, includes these sites for the London area: Waterloo, Fitzrovia (central London), Stratford, Ealing, Golders Green, Barnet, Enfield, Hornchurch, Kingston upon Thames. Its prices are national, so the table row applies to each of them; check that the site you pick offers a hip scan on the day you want.

Can I book a private hip MRI in London without a GP?

Yes, at centres that accept self-referral. Vista Health offers adult self-referral for hip scans after a questionnaire, at the same price at its sites near London. Hospital groups usually ask for a referral from a GP, consultant or registered physiotherapist. For typical age-related hip arthritis, an X-ray is often the first test and NICE guidance says the condition can often be diagnosed without imaging, so ask whether an MRI is the right test. See self-referral.

For hip and groin pain, London has specialist hip surgeons at both NHS and private hospitals, and some ask for an MR arthrogram rather than a plain MRI to look at the labrum. An arthrogram is usually done at a hospital site, not a dedicated centre. If you only need a plain hip scan, a dedicated outer-borough site charging national prices is usually the cheaper route, and hip scans are often feet first.

How long is the NHS wait for an MRI in London?

London's NHS hospitals are run by many separate trusts, including Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital, Barts Health, University College London Hospitals, Imperial College Healthcare and St George's. Waits for an MRI differ between them. NHS England's diagnostics waiting times data for July 2026 (DM01, published 10 September 2026) show that 21.4% of people waiting for an MRI had already waited six weeks or more. That is the figure for England, not for London. NHS England's monthly diagnostics data page publishes figures for each trust; check yours if you are already on a list.

How do I get to a scanning centre in or near London?

Allow for travel time as well as price. A scan in Zone 1 can mean an hour each way from outer London. Many dedicated centres in outer boroughs are a short walk from a station or have parking, which central sites rarely do. If you drive, check the Congestion Charge and ULEZ before choosing a central site. Vista Health's sites alone run from Kingston in the south-west to Hornchurch in the east and Enfield in the north, so it is worth choosing by where you live, not by the London label. If you need someone to take you home after sedation, that matters even more.

Will a London centre scan one hip or both?

Ask. Some centres image the whole pelvis, which shows both hips, and price it as one area; others scan one hip at a time. If your pain is in the groin, the buttock or the outside of the hip, say so when you book so the radiographer covers the right area. A metal hip replacement affects both the safety check and the images; tell the centre about it first.

Is groin pain a reason for a hip MRI in London?

Sometimes. Groin pain can come from the hip joint, the labrum, the tendons around the groin, a hernia or the lower back. A physio or GP examination narrows that down and decides whether an MRI of the hip, an ultrasound of the groin or a lower back scan is the right test. In younger, active people, an MRI or MR arthrogram is often used to look for a labral tear or impingement. Tell the London centre exactly where the pain is, so the scan covers the right area.

Can I have a hip MRI in London if I have a hip replacement?

A metal hip replacement distorts the images close to it, and the centre must check the implant first. Some centres use special sequences to reduce the distortion; others will suggest a different test. If you need the other hip or the lower back scanned, a replacement usually does not stop that. Bring the implant details, or the hospital and date of the operation, when you book.

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